(RFP301439) MSC INTERN – MULTIFUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPE NUTRIENT VALIDATION TRIALS

MSC INTERN – MULTIFUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPE NUTRIENT VALIDATION TRIALS

THE ORGANIZATION

The Alliance of Bioversity International (www.bioversityinternational.org) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) (www.ciat.cgiar.org) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crisis of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstream innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.

The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

About the position

The Alliance’s Multifunctional Landscapes team are seeking to engage 2 Masters students to assist in field monitoring, data collection, analysis and reporting of our 270 nutrient validation trials across 5 Counties of Kenya. This is in addition to 4 ERW trials in 2 Counties.

Main responsibilities

1. Support the establishment and implementation of on-farm nutrient recommendation validation trials in Siaya, Bungoma, Nandi, Machakos and Embu Counties, ensuring adherence to agreed experimental designs, protocols, and field implementation procedures.
   
2. Support field monitoring and agronomic data collection during the 2026 short-rains season, including crop establishment, management operations, crop growth and development, yield and yield components, and relevant farmer-management information.
   
3. Support soil, plant and other relevant sampling at defined stages of the validation and ERW trials, including proper sample collection, labeling, handling, documentation and coordination for laboratory analysis.
   
4. Conduct routine trial quality assurance and protocol compliance checks, including verification of treatment application, plot integrity, completeness of field records and identification/documentation of deviations from established protocols.
   
5. Backstop ward-level extension staff and field teams in providing participating farmers with appropriate agronomic guidance and ensuring consistent implementation and monitoring of trial treatments.
   
6. Support farmer engagement and documentation of farmer observations, including implementation challenges, practicality of treatments and other contextual information relevant to interpretation and potential scaling of nutrient recommendations.
   
7. Support data management and quality control, including digitization, cleaning, validation, organization and maintenance of field, soil, plant and laboratory datasets and associated metadata.
   
8. Conduct statistical and agronomic analysis of trial data to assess crop response, nutrient-use efficiency, treatment performance and relevant soil responses.
   
9. Prepare technical documentation and communication products, including field/trial summaries, technical reports, blogs and presentations communicating both the emerging and final findings.
   
10. Develop a journal-quality manuscript draft synthesizing findings from the nutrient validation, in collaboration with other project team.
    

Requirements

Education and Requirements

• MSC in Agronomy, agricultural studies, environmental studies, or any other related field.
  

Competencies

• Experience in data collection
  
• Basic analytics
  
• Report writing
  
• Experience in farmer training and engagement.
  
• Ability to work in multi-cultural environment
  
• Problem solving
  

Benefits

Terms of employment

This is a nationally recruited position based in Nairobi, Kenya. The contract will be for up to Three (3) Months.

The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications

Applicants are invited to visit  https://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/ to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference (RFP301439) MSC INTERN – MULTIFUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPE NUTRIENT VALIDATION TRIALS as the position applied for. Application and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name and first name for ease of sorting.

Note: The Alliance does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). The Alliance also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applications closing date: 30th September 2026

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

We invite you to learn more about us at: http://alliancebioversityciat.org